Maurice White, founder of the funk, soul, and rhythm-and-blues band Earth, Wind & Fire, died on Thursday, February 4, at the age of 74. Earth, Wind & Fire produced classics like “September,” “Reasons,” “Let’s Groove,” and “Shining Star.”

"My brother, hero and best friend Maurice White passed away peacefully last night in his sleep," Verdine White, the band's bassist, said in a Facebook post.

Earth, Wind & Fire tweeted yesterday, "Our brother Maurice White passed peacefully in his sleep this morning. The light is he, shining on you and me.”

White began showing symptoms of Parkinson’s disease — a neurological condition that leads to progressive difficulties with walking, balance, and coordination — back in the 1980s. About 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s each year, according to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. Men are one-and-a-half times more likely to develop the disease than women.

In 2000, White told Rolling Stone, "I traveled with the band for five years with Parkinson's. I was treating it with medication then, and I still have it under control. It's not taking anything away from me."

Although it’s unclear what White died from, some news outlets are reporting that his Parkinson’s had worsened in recent months.

The band, which was best known for elaborate live shows, colorful costumes, and its horn section, was the first African-American band to sell out Madison Square Garden, according to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Earth, Wind & Fire were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. White himself was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2010. The group will be honored at the Grammy Awards on February 15.